Cheers! Here’s 4 Southern Connecticut Breweries to Visit This Summer

While Connecticut may not have been the first state to embrace the craft beer movement, it’s wasted no time getting up to speed. Now with over 22 breweries and brewpubs across this tiny state, there are enough suds to satisfy any beer enthusiast. Start your journey along the Connecticut Beer Trail with these five great southern Connecticut breweries.
These Guys

These Guys — Norwich

Though the name may be vague, the mission ofThese Guys Breweryis anything but. Combining a thirst for great beer infused with a foodie flair, this Norwich-based brewhouse creates beers with an emphasis on complex malt flavors and seasonality. Let them return you to the speakeasy days of yesteryear — their operation is run out of an old saloon, originally constructed in 1883 and rumored to be a hub during the Prohibition era. Between their historic building and their brewing brood, we’d wager that These Guys has character to spare.Photo: Beer’d Brewing

Beer’d Brewing Company – Stonington

These Stonington, CT brewers are serving up much more than a love of puns. Enriched with a desire to reincarnate the days gone by when beer was produced by someone on your block rather than a multinational corporation, Beer’d Brewing Company pour super small-batch IPA’s in pint glasses sporting robust facial hair. Open Sunday through Friday, this high energy operation makes a perfect stop along your tour of southern Connecticut breweries.

Steady Habit Brewing Company — Haddam

With a pledge to be serious about beer, while not taking themselves too seriously, this fledgling enterprise is perfect for the craft beer lover looking to find a hidden gem. Steady Habit Brewing Company, nestled on the banks of the Connecticut River, opened in early 2015 with a focus in hoppy offerings. While their repertoire has expanded since then, they continue to believe in a formula of passion combined with knowledge and execution. Though they don’t bottle, you can walk away with a growler full of Steady Habit, and keep the southern Connecticut brewery experience going beyond the Brew Trail.
Photo: Cottrell Brewing Company

Cottrell Brewing Company — Pawcatuck

The folks over at Cottrell Brewing Company certainly aren’t shy about where their loyalties lie. With the Cottrell family arriving to the United States in 1666, this brewery bleeds yankee pride. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that this local brewing company focuses on traditional flavors with a New England twist. Though their Mystic Bridge IPA’s label looks like it could have come from the 18th century, don’t think these brewers are stuck in the past. They also churn out weekly small-batch nano-brews full of experimental flavors — think honey porter and Old Yankee Ale with sirochi hops. Looking for the perfect place to pop open your growler? Head back home to Saybrook Point and share the spoils of your tour of southern Connecticut breweries as you watch the sunset over the Connecticut River. Plus, we may even have a few brews you didn’t try on our menu at Fresh Salt.